Surprise menus, open kitchens and panoramic views: a wave of originality is wafting through Lyon’s restaurant scene. France.fr tries a few unusual spots for unusual meals.
Go veggie at Culina Hortus
Who said that vegetarian cooking couldn’t be satisfying and high-end? Certainly not the team at Culina Hortus, the new veggie restaurant that’s shaken up France’s foodie capital. In a warm, cosy atmosphere full of natural materials, diners enjoy dishes made from fruit and vegetables, cereals, eggs and dairy products, the majority local and organic. The lunch menu, which changes each week, comes in two or three courses depending on your appetite – while in the evening, foodies can take their time over a wider range of dishes from a six-course menu. Culina Hortus
Make a toast at Copper Roots
No need to choose between cocktail bar and restaurant… Copper Roots was born from a meeting between chef Marek Piotrowski and bartender Thomas Barbera. The result is an ever-changing menu of five dishes and three cocktails, all served in a retro chic space with accents of velvet, stone, wood and, of course, copper. Copper Roots
Be surprised at La Mutinerie
No need to take up arms to revolt – just choose one of two menus with evocative names created by Nicolas Seibold: the four-course ‘Resistance’ or six-course ‘Rebellion’. Then you’re left to the whim of the chef, who keeps each dish on the menu a secret. There’s little risk-taking though, as the young chef was selected among the Young Talents in the 2019 Gault & Millau guide. La Mutinerie
Slice into a steak at B.L.O.
The chef here simply crosses the street to find his ingredients: all meat comes from La Boucherie Bello, of which this restaurant is an extension. Enjoy organic meat and poultry, expertly matured thanks to the knowledge of Frédéric Bello and his team. Steaks are cut to order in the open butchery before being sent to the kitchen to be transformed. From the meadow to your plate, there’s only one step. B.L.O
Sneak a peek into the kitchen at the Grand Refectory
With its stone walls among the oldest in Lyon and its 10-metre-high vaulted ceiling, the former refectory of the Grand Hotel-Dieu has been transformed into a dining room everyone is raving about. But this is without the open kitchen and table-d’hôte, from where diners can watch the creativity of the team led by Michelin-starred chef Marcel Ravin. On offer is a gastronomic tasting menu of 14 to 18 dishes, whose preparation will be no secret. Le Grand Réfectoire
Go up to Noh House
This is one of the most exclusive locations in Lyon. Perched on the top floor of the Maison Nô, a four-star hotel that opened a few months ago, the RoofTop allows you to enjoy an unobstructed view of the main monuments of the city, from the Fourvière basilica to the Opera, the Part-Dieu and the Town Hall. On the menu are sharing dishes available in small, medium or large sizes, depending on number of guests and their appetites. The Maison Nô Rooftop
By France.fr
The magazine of the destination unravels an unexpected France that revisits tradition and cultivates creativity. A France far beyond what you can imagine…
